The Free City of Tri-Insula (or, If New York City Were a Country)
If New York City were a sovereign city-state, its roughly $1.1 trillion economy would rank about the 11th largest in the world—bigger than the Netherlands or Saudi Arabia. Its 8.5 million residents out-number Switzerland and Israel. With more than 665 track-miles, the subway is the eighth-longest on earth, and the city’s one-million-student public-school system is the largest anywhere.
It can be more helpful to think of New York City as a small country than as a city. It is arguably more similar to the likes of Singapore or Luxembourg than to, say, Raleigh or Cincinnati. In 1861, Democratic Mayor Fernando Wood proposed the secession of New York City as a sovereign city-state to be called the Free City of Tri-Insula. His motives were terrible and he was remembered as a corrupt fool, but the idea of a sovereign New York can prove helpful.
Like a sovereign nation, it has a large and complex economy, a behemoth bureaucracy, shiny politicians, and a population diverse in culture, thought, and political inclination. It is home to some of the most wealthy and most poor [citizens]. It towers over the global financial system and American culture.
New York City deserves world class news coverage. But right now, there are gaps.
Narrow Geography
We have plenty of news about Manhattan and the places that Manhattanites like to visit, like the Hamptons or Westchester; we don’t have enough news about Sunset Park or Flushing or many other neighborhoods full of working New Yorkers.
Missing What Matters
There are many words given to grand plans by politicians, celebrities, and the like. We don't see enough news about what life is like on the ground in this city: the cost of groceries, the cost of the subway, the unemployment rate, wages, or rents.
Written for Whom?
Too often the news feels like it's written for the wealthy elites looking for a second home in the Hamptons or their trust fund children. We don’t have enough news written for the many working people that bear the city on our backs.
Our Approach
All Five Boroughs
We aim to weigh the boroughs not by their cultural clout or wealth but instead evenly and fairly. We want to provide as much coverage of the news in the South Bronx and Canarsie as in SoHo and the Upper East Side.
Grounded News
Why is another hospital closing in Brooklyn? Are there more jobs available now than there were last year? What are the MTA's plans to raise subway fares? We want to provide news that affects daily life in this city.
Smart, Working New Yorkers
When news is written smartly it is often written for the rich. Our approach is to write for New Yorkers who have two jobs but who still care about rising gentrification and the city budget. We aim to provide sharp, critical coverage for the 99%, not the 1%.
Who we are
Borough is published by Borough Media, an independent news outlet run by native New Yorkers who care deeply about the city and are committed to it for the long haul. Borough accepts no political funding and discloses all sponsors.
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